Why Martinsburg?

The Martinsburg Center will effectively serve the area’s non-traditional students and will deliver Shepherd University’s outstanding academic instruction to adult’s seeking degree completion in the region while offering a convenient location, flexible hours, and affordable price.

What our research about the Eastern Panhandle tells us:

10 percent population growth since 2000

65 percent employed in white collar jobs

$37k-$65k is average income range

18 percent of the populace has some college

More than 29,000 adults 25 years and older in the seven-county Eastern Panhandle Region have some college, but no degree

Shepherd is well known and well liked

Shepherd tested the highest among other regional institutions

39 percent of those surveyed are interested in Shepherd-Martinsburg for themselves or someone else

62 percent of those surveyed viewed fees as fair

How is Shepherd University responding?
Developing working-adult education model:

High-quality academic programs

Easily accessible location

Flexible course deliver models

Convenient and comfortable facilities

Market-driven program offerings

Affordable pricing

What will it cost?

$2.5 million capital investment for renovation and fit out of a new facility

$1.6 million annual operating budget

What is Return On Investment?

Serving an additional 500 students by 2021

Building on Recent Success: Cutting student costs, not quality, through reduction in credits:

Shepherd University was the first in the state to reduce the baccalaureate degree requirements from 128 hours to 120 hours

Enabled 62 undergraduate seniors to graduate earlier; half by one semester, half by two semesters

Provided average savings of $4,375 per student in tuition and housing, for an estimated student savings of $271,250